This invention relates to a printhead assembly. More particularly, the invention relates to a pagewidth inkjet printhead assembly.
A printhead assembly which includes:
a plurality of printhead modules supported in end-to-end relationship on a carrier, each printhead module including a printhead chip and a cover molding;
said printhead chip of each printhead module overlapping with the printhead chip of an adjacent printhead module;
said carrier supporting each printhead module in an operative position for printing on print media;
said cover molding defining a plurality of ink supply chambers for supplying ink to its associated chip, each said cover molding having a chamber-defining portion, a floor of which is defined by a micromolding sub-assembly which is secured to the chamber-defining portion in a fluldtight manner, the mating formation of each printhead module being defined by a sidewall portion of the chamber-defining portion which is angled with respect to the floor so that an included angle between the floor and the sidewall portion is an acute angle;
mating formations carried by each printhead module and the carrier such that, when each printhead module is mounted on the carrier, electrical contact is made between electrical contacts of each printhead module and electrical contacts of the carrier;
wherein the printhead assembly simultaneously prints a full width of the print media.
The carrier may include an ink reservoir to which each printhead module is releasably attached, the mating formation of the reservoir being defined by an angled wing portion extending from a roof of the reservoir and spaced from a reservoir-defining portion of the reservoir to define a slot in which the sidewall portion of the cover molding is slidably received, the angle of the wing corresponding with that of the sidewall portion to effect sliding contact between the electrical contacts of each printhead module and the carrier when said printhead module is attached to the carrier and vice versa.
The electrical contacts of each printhead module may be defined by a flexible PCB wrapped about the sidewall and the electrical contacts of the carrier may be defined by a flexible PCB supported by the wing portion and busbars sandwiched, in use, between the sidewall portion and the wing portion.
The printhead modules may be removeable from and replaceable on said carrier.
The cover molding may have a chamber-defining portion, a floor of which is defined by a sub-assembly which is secured to the chamber-defining portion in a fluidtight manner, the mating formation of each printhead module being defined by a sidewall portion of the chamber-defining portion which is angled with respect to the floor so that an included angle between the floor and the sidewall portion is an acute angle.